New vehicles added to Burton police fleet; pool system to be enacted for use of other vehicles

View full sizeRoberto Acosta | MLive.comOne of two new 2012 Dodge Charger Pursuit vehicle purchased by the Burton Police Department for use by officers. The vehicles were purchased through the MiDEAL extended purchasing program at $22,600 each.

BURTON, MI -- Drivers in Burton will soon tap their brakes when the sight of two new police vehicles appear in their rear view mirrors from Potter Road to the north to Maple Avenue on the city's south end.

The city’s police department recently purchased two 2012 Dodge Charger pursuit vehicles for $22,600 each through the MiDEAL program for officers to use in patrolling the more than 23 square miles encompassing Burton.

With a $50,000 budget for the purchases, Osterholzer said the department did look at the Chevy Tahoe, Ford Police Interceptor, Chevy Caprice PPV and other vehicles but decided on the vehicle because of price and feel.

“This is the most stable police vehicle I have ever been in. “The best handling, acceleration.”” said Police Chief Tom Osterholzer, who noted roughly $4,400 is left in the budget following new graphics by Burton-based Ram Studios featuring the thin blue line honoring officers that have died in the line of duty.

“We’re a very proud city and we’re a very proud police department,” said Osterholzer, who thanked city officials for allotting the money towards vehicle purchases in the 2012-13 budget, which he said were “desperately needed.”

The remainder of the department’s fleet could use some updating, Osterholzer said, with the rest of the fleet comprised of Ford Crown Victorias averaging 130,000 to 150,000 miles on the odometer.

Use of the new vehicles will be somewhat limited when they hit the road after computer equipment, lights bars and other accessories are installed.

Only a few officers will use the cars during two shifts – as opposed to the three shifts other vehicles are in service – and instead of using one of the vehicles when an officer’s car is out of commission, they will have access to the other vehicles set up in a pool car system.

City Councilwoman Ellen Ellenburg said using the MiDEAL program -- which includes more than 350 contracts through the state for items ranging from police vehicles, to office supplies, food and construction equipment – helped keep the pricing down.

“That was a good thing for us to go into,” she said. “Without that, we’d have to go with sticker price at a dealer.”

Osterholzer said while the vehicles were used during the Back to the Bricks security detail in August, they are expected to go into full use in the next few weeks.